Debra Deal, Executive Director
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As Executive Director, Debra works closely with the CBC board to develop the vision and philosophy of camp and has overall responsibility for developing camp programs and infrastructure, managing the budget and fundraising activities, and supervising personnel. In collaboration with staff, board, and other organizations, she plans to expand year-round programming and to realize the full potential of Camp Beech Cliff’s location and facilities.
Debra has more than 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector, managing programs at camps, outdoor education centers, and other recreational programs for youth and adults. For the five years just preceding her joining the CBC team in 2006, Debra served as Director of Camping and Recreation Services for AHRC, one of the largest social service agencies in New York City. She has also directed camps and an outdoor education center for urban, disadvantaged youth in Washington, D.C. and on Long Island, and helped to start a new camp in Rhinebeck, NY for girls from 20 different countries to promote multi-culturalism. She earned her B.A. from the University of Richmond, Virginia, and her Masters in Education from Harvard.
Debra has vacationed on MDI for years and now lives there with her husband, Rogier van Bakel, a freelance writer and photographer, and her two small daughters.
Sylvie Piquet, Summer Camp Director (Interim)
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Sylvie, who began as a Challenge Course counselor at CBC and made the transition into the administration as the Lightning Camp Coordinator (2009) and CIT/Staff Coordinator (2010), will be returning for her sixth summer in 2011 as our Interim Camp Director. A catalyst for creativity, she is excited about the new possibilities the Tremont School camp location for summer 2011 will provide, such as the on-site coastal marsh for boating and the nearby ocean for field trips. She is confident that the best of CBC traditions such as camper bucks, Fracky Fridays and camp songs will infuse the new location with the strong spirit of Beech Cliff. She is looking forward to collaborating with the solid returning summer staff to foster growth, friendship and adventure in the CBC community. Sylvie graduated from Bowdoin College in May 2008. She is currently a yoga instructor in Steamboat Springs, CO, exploring the world of yoga for kids. She is working with area preschools applying the mindfulness of yoga to develop emotional management skills in the classroom. Sylvie loves hiking in the woods and along the coast, wood working, fly fishing and baking bread.
Brenda Fletcher, Office Manager/Database Administrator
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Brenda manages the Camp Beech Cliff office, assisting staff, integrating the separate software applications currently used, working on camp publications, and hoping to get back on the climbing wall this winter. She has a B.A. in German Literature from Duke University and a background in kids (including two grown daughters), computers (programmer, systems analyst, quality assurance, customer support, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera) and chaos (Red Coss hurricane relief). Prior to coming to Camp Beech Cliff, her most recent job (also chaos related) was working as a consultant on the management team working to straighten out the problems with the MaineCare software. Her non-profit experience includes three years at the Jackson Lab and more than fifteen years as Financial Officer and Board Member for the Summer Festival of the Arts.
